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Hispanic-Americans & The U.S. Coast Guard

Historical Information on Hispanic Americans in
the Coast Guard and Its Predecessor Services

The history of
Hispanic-Americans in the U.S. Coast Guard may be traced as far back as the
early 1800s. Hispanic Americans performed duties at light house
stations as keepers and assistant keepers, such as Keeper Juan Andreu who
served as the Keeper of the St. Augustine Light from 1824-1845 and Keeper
José A. Ramirez, who served as the Head Keeper of the Windward Point Light
Station in Cuba, prior to World War II. Others served on board Revenue
Service cutters and as surfmen at Life-Saving Service stations along the
coast. Many gave their lives in the performance of their duties and
others were decorated for their heroism.

In 1914, Hispanic-Americans sailed
on the Revenue Cutter Algonquin. The cutter was stationed in
the Caribbean and assisted the city of San Juan twice. In 1920, after
the formation of the Coast Guard, two Hispanic-American crewman of the
cutter Acushnet, Mess Attendant First Class Arthur J. Flores and SN
John E. Gomez, volunteered to save survivors of the schooner Isaiah K.
Stetsen, which sank off the coast of Massachusetts during a storm.
The Treasury Department awarded both of them the Silver Lifesaving Medal for
their heroism.

Chronological History of Hispanic-Americans in
the U.S. Coast Guard:

1824

From 1824 to 1845 Juan Andreu
served as the Keeper of the St. Augustine Lighthouse in Florida. Of
Minorcan ancestry, he is the first Hispanic-American to serve in the Coast
Guard and the first to oversee a federal installation of any kind.
Andreu likely served as keeper before 1824; however there are no surviving
federal records prior to 1824 to verify this fact.

1843

In 1843 Joseph Ximenez took command of the Carysfort Reef
Lightship in Florida, making him the first Hispanic-American to command a
Coast Guard vessel.

1859

From 1859 to 1862 Maria Andreu (a.k.a. Maria Mestre de los Dolores) served
as the Keeper of the St. Augustine Lighthouse in Florida, becoming the first
Hispanic-American woman to serve in the Coast guard and the first
Hispanic-American woman to command a federal shore installation.

1897

In 1897 Surfmen Telesford Pena and Ramon Delgado began
serving at the Brazos Life-Saving Station in Texas. They were the
first known Hispanic-Americans to serve with the U.S. Life-Saving Service.

1908

February 5, 1908: Francisco Silva,
a surfman from the Woodend Life-Saving Station, died from a disease
contracted in the line of duty.

1915

In 1915 the City of San Juan,
Puerto Rico, an "Official Resolution of Thanks" to the crew of the
USRC Algonquin for battling fires that threatened to destroy parts
of that city. The crew included fifteen Hispanic-American enlisted, or
twenty-five percent of the cutter's complement.

1916

Boatswain's Mate Third Class Pedro
Albino, USCG, (photo, above) retired from the Coast Guard after 32 years of
military and civilian government service. He was stationed at six
different lighthouses throughout Puerto Rico and the Caribbean during his
distinguished career. He was a champion for working and salary
improvements for lighthouse keepers throughout Puerto Rico during his
career. His dedicated service contributed greatly to the success of
the lighthouse service in Puerto Rico in the years prior to World War II.
He was commended for his assistance to the crew of the grounded sloop
Continente in 1929. He was born in 1886, served in the U.S. Army for
three years, joined the Lighthouse Service in 1916 and he retired from the
Coast Guard in 1944.

1918

In 1918 Seaman Richard E. Cordova
gave his life when his cutter, the CGC Tampa, was torpedoed and sunk
with all hands by a German U-Boat during World War I.

1919

BM 1/c Pablo Valent and Surfman Indalecio
Lopez assist in the rescue of the crew of the schooner CAPE
HORN on 16 September 1919 as members of the Brazos (Texas)
Life-Saving Station crew. For their bravery and heroic
effort, Valent and Lopez receive the Coast Guard's Silver
Lifesaving Medal and The Grand Cross Medal from the American
Cross of Honor Society.

1925

On 28 September 1925, Chief Gunner's Mate
Joseph B. Aviles (photo, above) transferred from the U.S.
Navy to the Coast Guard. Born in Puerto Rico, Aviles became
the first known Hispanic-American chief petty officer in the
Coast Guard. During World War II he received a war-time
promotion to chief warrant officer, becoming the first
Hispanic American to reach that level as well.

1935

BMC Pablo Valent took command of the Port
Isabel (Texas) Boat Station in 1935, becoming the first
Hispanic-American to command a boat station.

1942

Juan del Castillo enlisted
in the Coast Guard in June 1942 after graduating from
Manhattan College and, by mid-year, he had received
appointment to Officer’s Candidate School at the Coast Guard
Academy. He was commissioned an ensign in December of 1942,
becoming the first Hispanic American to receive an officer’s
commission. Castillo served on convoys in the Caribbean
before receiving training at the Naval Communications School
at Harvard University. The rest of the war saw him serving
on board cutters in the North Pacific. Castillo was
released from active duty in 1946 and served in the Reserves
for nearly forty years. During this time, he had a
distinguished career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and became famous for developing “CSM,” a high-protein food
substance used in disaster relief, famines and mass feeding
operations.

1944

In 1944 Gunner's Mate Joseph Tezanos also received
assignment to OCS, becoming the second Hispanic American to
complete officers' training.

Valentin R. Fernandez, the coxswain of a
landing craft, was awarded a Silver Lifesaving Medal for
"...maneuvering a Marine landing party ashore under constant
Japanese attack" during the invasion of Saipan, which began
on 15 June 1944.

Louis Rua was
awarded the Bronze Star Medal for "...meritorious
achievement at sea December 5-6, 1944, while serving aboard
a U.S. Army large tug en route to the Philippines. He
craft went to the rescue of another ship which had been
torpedoed by enemy action and saved 277 survivors from the
abandoned ship." Rua was the first known
Hispanic-American Coast Guardsman to be awarded with a
Bronze Star Medal.

Gunner's Mate
Second Class Joseph Tezanos was awarded a Navy & Marine
Corps Medal during World War II for "...distinguished
heroism while serving as a volunteer member of a boat crew
engaged in rescue operations during a fire in Pearl Harbor,
Oahu, T.H. on 21 May 1944. Under conditions of great
personal danger from fire and explosions and with disregard
of his own safety he assisted in the rescuing of
approximately 42 survivors some of whom were injured and
exhausted from the water and from burning ships." He
was also the second known Hispanic-American to complete OCS
training at the Coast Guard Academy.

1945

Gilbert Cardenas was awarded with a Commandant's Letter
of Commendation for service during World War II.

1968

In Vietnam in 1968,
Heriberto
S. Hernandez, a crewman aboard the USCGC Point
Cypress which was assigned to Operation Market Time, was
awarded the Bronze Star with a combat "V" for valor and a
Purple Heart medal after sustaining a mortal wound while in
combat with the Viet Cong.

1969

Larry Villareal received the Silver Star Medal for combat
action in Vietnam on 21 January 1969, becoming the first
Hispanic-American service member to receive the medal.
Click here for more information.

1970

Boatswain's Mate
First Class Carlos Valdivia Molina was awarded the
Coast Guard Medal (Extraordinary Heroism citation) for
"...heroism on the night of 21 October 1970 while serving as
a crew member in USCGC
ACUSHNET, [WMEC-167]
engaged in the perilous rescue of a fellow shipmate who had
been washed overboard into the Pacific Ocean off the coast
of California. Though darkness, high winds and 12-foot
seas severely affected the search, the victim was sighted
only minutes after the accident with the ship’s searchlight.
Petty Officer MOLINA donned his wet suit while enroute to
the boat lowering detail and volunteered as coxswain of the
recovery boat. While the boat was almost lost in
launching because of adverse weather conditions, Petty
Officer MOLINA, realizing the plight of his shipmate,
vaulted over the ship’s railing into the boat. Although
suffering a serious fracture to his right leg, he started
the motor and skillfully maneuvered the boat within 15 feet
of his shipmate. A large wave then crested over the
boat and disabled the motor. Disregarding his
injuries, Petty Officer MOLINA began using the boat’s
paddles in his continuing efforts to reach the man who was
trying to swim toward him. Moments later another boat from
the ACUSHNET
arrived on scene and rescued both men. Petty Officer
MOLINA, by his rescue efforts, demonstrated unusual
initiative, exceptional fortitude, and heroic daring in
spite of imminent personal danger throughout the operation.
His unselfish actions and unwavering devotion to duty
reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United
States Coast Guard."

1975

Alberto J. Gastón received his naval
aviator wings on 27 May 1975, becoming the first
Cuban-American to become a pilot in the Coast Guard.

1980

Seaman Apprentice William Ray "Billy" Flores (photo,
above) died in the line of duty while saving the lives of
many of his shipmates when his cutter, the Blackthorn,
collided with the tanker Capricorn, on January 28,
1980. The Blackthorn and the tanker Capricorn
collided near the entrance to Tampa Bay, Florida. The
Blackthorn capsized before all the cutter’s crew could
abandon ship. Twenty-seven of Flores’ shipmates did escape
the sinking ship. After the ships collided Flores and
another crewmember threw lifejackets to their shipmates who
had jumped into the water. Later, when his companion
abandoned ship as the Blackthorn began to submerge,
Flores -- who was less than a year out of boot camp--remained behind and used his own belt to strap open
the lifejacket locker door, allowing additional lifejackets
to float to the surface. Even after most crewmembers
abandoned ship, the 19-year-old Flores remained aboard to
assist trapped shipmates and to comfort those who were
injured and disoriented. He was posthumously awarded the
Coast Guard Medal. Click
here for more information.

1980

Pablo Alejandro Vivas graduated from basic training in
May, 1980, becoming the first known Nicaraguan-American to join the Coast
Guard. He retired in 2008 with the rank of CWO-4, perhaps the first
Nicaraguan-American to do so.

1983

Jacqueline A. Ball and Deborah R. Winnie were the first
Hispanic females to graduate from the Coast Guard Academy.

1991

The first Hispanic-American female
advanced to E-7 was YNC Grisel Hollis, who was promoted on 1
May 1991. The second was Sonia Colon, who was promoted in
1992. Hollis was later promoted to CWO(PERS) on 1 June 1995
while assigned to the USCGC Hamilton as the YNC.

Marilyn Melendez Dykman became the first
Hispanic-American female Coast Guard aviator when she earned
her wings of gold on 24 May 1991.

In 1991 LTJG Katherine Tiongson
(nee Faverey) took command of USCGC Bainbridge Island,
becoming the first Hispanic-American female to command an
afloat unit. She was also the first Hispanic-American
female intelligence officer in the Coast Guard.

1996

In 1996,Chief Boatswains Mate Jose M.
Bolanos became the Officer-in-Charge of Station Charleston,
SC. He was the first Cuban American to command a Coast Guard
station. He also commanded Station Port Canaveral, FL as a
CWO in 2002 and CGC Matagorda as a LT in 2005.

Then-Lieutenant Jose L. Rodriguez
(photo, above) was the first Hispanic to command a TACLET
when he took command of TACLET South, 1996-1998. He was
also the first Coast Guardsman to command a U.S. Marine
Corps unit when took command of the Riverine Training
Center, Special Operations Training Group, II MEF at Camp
Lejeune, North Carolina in July 1999. He was also the first
Hispanic-American Coast Guardsman to earn his Gold
Navy/Marine Corps jump wings while in the Coast Guard and
assigned to a Jump Billet (USMC Majors Billet at Special
Operations Training Group II MEF). He earned his wings that
same year. He also became the first commanding officer of
one of the two MSSTs commissioned in the Coast Guard [see
the next entry]

1999

The first Cuban-born Coast
Guardsman promoted to Chief Warrant Officer (Aviation) was
Angel L. Martinez, who was promoted in 1999.

2001

The first MSSTs ever commissioned
in Coast Guard history, MSSTs 91101 and 91102 (East and West
Coast), were commissioned by two Hispanic officers:
Lieutenant Commander Quique Ramon Ortiz and Lieutenant
Commander Jose Rodriguez.

2002

In 2002, Lieutenant Junior Grade Angelina Hidalgo became the second Hispanic-American female to command
an afloat unit and was the second Hispanic female
intelligence officer.

2003

Lieutenant Jorge Martinez assumed command of the USCGC
Maui on 5 June 2003, becoming the first Cuban-American
to command a Coast Guard cutter.

In May of 2006 Senior Chief Boatswains
Mate Emmanuel Zambrana (photo, above) became the
Officer-in-Charge of Station San Juan, Puerto Rico. He
was the first Puerto Rican to command the Puerto Rican-based
Coast Guard Small Boat Station. He transferred in June
2007 after his promotion to CWO.

In 2006, LT Isabel Papp became the first female medical
officer to be assigned to a PSU. She was also the first
Hispanic-American female MD to be assigned to a PSU. She
had also been the first Hispanic-American female Physician's
Assistant in the Coast Guard Reserve.

2006

BMC Juan J. Rivera served for two
tours as the OIC of the CGC Line. He had also
commanded ANT Potomac in St. Inigoes, Maryland as a First
Class Boatswain's Mate.

2007

In March, 2007, CGC Sherman
seized the M/V Gatun in the Pacific Ocean off
Panama after a boarding team discovered the merchant
vessel's illicit cargo of 21 metric tons of cocaine, the
largest maritime seizure of cocaine to date.
Sherman was commanded by CAPT Charley L. Diaz and the
boarding team that located the cocaine was led by BMC
Michael D. Aguilera.

In July 2008 Captain Eduardo Pino took
command of Sector San Juan, thereby becoming the first
Hispanic-American Coast Guardsman to become a Sector
commander.

2009

In July, 2009
RADM
Joseph R. Castillo was appointed Commander of District
11, becoming the first Hispanic-American District commander
in the Coast Guard. In August, 2012 he was promoted to
position of Deputy Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area,
becoming the first Hispanic-American Area deputy commander
in the Coast Guard.

2010

ISC Harland Espinoza became the first Nicaraguan-born
Coast Guardsman to be promoted to Chief Intelligence
Specialist.

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